February 22nd was launch date in Australia for the 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index. This year’s index saw Australia slip a further two points, from 79 to 77. While this may not appear to be statistically significant for one year, it is a slide of eight points in the last six years, and our rank remains outside the top 10 countries where we once were.

TI Australia is lead partner in Australia’s second national integrity system assessment – a unique opportunity to identify exactly how our integrity institutions should be strengthened, and help reverse the slide in Australia’s anti-corruption reputation indicated by the 2017 CPI.

In 2017, the Senate Select Committee on a National Integrity Commission already recommended the Assessment be looked to as a key guide to the answers. With momentum building in support of our campaign for a stronger federal anti-corruption body (see below), this priority project is an excellent way for TI members (individual and corporate) to contribute their considerable experience and expertise to identifying strengths and weaknesses in our public integrity frameworks, state and federal.

The project is led by Griffith University, with a national team of experts supported by the Australian Research Council, NSW Ombudsman, Queensland Integrity Commissioner and Crime & Corruption Commission, Queensland. Read about it on the TI Australia and Griffith University websites, and hear project leader and TI Australia board member Professor A J Brown interviewed by the ABC’s Linda Mottram in the wake of the CPI result.

The Guardian, and ABC continue to follow the story, reflecting the public support for such an institution.

In 2017 TI Australia worked more closely with The Australia Institute, and our Board Chair, the Anthony Whealy, QC, collaborated with other eminent judges to provide high level advice on the fundamental principles of such an organisation.

With TI Australia having advocated such a reform since 2005 when it was recommended by Australia’s first national integrity system assessment, we are optimistic that, with increasingly bipartisan and multi-party support along with that of our members, it may soon come to pass.

The Mining for Sustainable Development Programme (M4SD) successfully concluded Phase I. This was a culmination of two years’ work (funded by the BHP Billiton Foundation and DFAT) to identify and assess corruption vulnerabilities in the mining awards process. All reports in English, Spanish and French are available here.

Throughout 2017, M4SD colleagues from across the globe came together for intensive workshops and international conferences; opened meaningful dialogue with government, industry and civil society; and worked to ensure research and assessments were valid and meaningful.

It’s time to develop Australia’s second Open Government National Action Plan. This Plan is due by 31 August and will cover the period until August 2020. The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet invites contributions from the community of appropriate commitments in that second NAP.

In late 2017, Transparency International launched their 10 Anti-Corruption Principles for State-owned Enterprises (SOEs)

The 10 Principles provide guidance for SOEs of all types and sizes on anti-corruption best practice. They are based on TI’s Business Principles for Countering Bribery. As entities ultimately owned by the citizens they have a high responsibility to act with integrity and transparency.

In December 2017, The OECD released its Phase 4 Assessment of Australia’s progress in implementing the OECD Ant-Bribery Convention.

The OECD found:

Australia’s enforcement of its foreign bribery offence has increased markedly since Phase 3. Australia is now able to report its first successful foreign bribery prosecutions. Australia also has 19 ongoing investigations and 13 referrals under evaluation.

The OECD noted the steps taken to improve the framework for detecting and investigating foreign bribery cases, and made a number of recommendations, including:

Take appropriate steps to address the risk that the proceeds of foreign bribery could be laundered through the Australian real-estate sector;

Enhance whistleblower protections in the private sector;

Adequately resource AFP and CDPP at a level that ensures Australia can effectively enforce its foreign bribery offence;

TI Australia is the Australian national chapter of Transparency International (TI), an international not-for-profit organisation devoted to curbing corruption worldwide. The TI Australia E-News is a regular update giving information on the fight against corruption in Australia and worldwide. TI Australia does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the materials linked to this E-News; nor does itaccept responsibility or liability for any loss, damage, cost or expense you might incur as a result of the use of, or reliance upon the materials which appear in the TI Australia E-News.

e-news

EVENTS

Are you at Indaba 2018? Make sure to join the session moderated by Transparency International Australia! 7 Feb, 12:10 – 13:00 Stage B Discussing the contributions made by EITI and other international initiatives: What are the benefits of joining and practical impacts already visible on the ground? Going beyond revenue transparency to create Shared Value and […]